The aim of the School is to support postgraduate studies at the University of Szeged, leading to the degree of PhD in computer science (informatics). The School operates within the Institute of Informatics. The research work in the school belongs to the following research areas: Theoretical Computer Science, Operations Research and Combinatorial Optimization, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Image Processing, and Electrical and Computer Engineering. The reseach topics are the followings.

There are two ways of obtaining the PhD degree: by following a four-year study program, or by individual preparation. The program of which the duration is 4 years prescribes the accomplishment of 240 credits, active participation in the Institute's seminars, and the conduction of research under the supervision of a thesis adviser appointed by the Council of the Doctoral School. At the end of the fourth semester, the completion of 5 courses is included, the courses embrace a number of fields in computer science without the intention of being exhaustive. A course may be offered as a reading course if enrollment is low. In such cases consultation is provided. The language of education in the four-year program is mainly Hungarian, but for foreign students, each course may be offered in English.

The teaching and research staff of the Doctoral School consists mainly of scientists working at the Institute of Informatics and the Research Group on Artificial Intelligence of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Some members of the Institute of Mathematics (Faculty of Sciences and Informatics), Department of Medical Physics and Informatics (Faculty of Medicine), and the Department of Applied Informatics (Juhász Gyula Teacher Training College Faculty) also participate in the School. Foreign lecturers may also announce courses in the Doctoral School.

The requirements for obtaining the PhD degree are the following. At the end of the second year, each candidate has to pass a comprehensive doctoral exam which has two main parts. During the first (theoretical) part, the student takes exams in one major subject/topic and in one minor subject/topic. In the second (dissertation) part of the comprehensive exam the student holds a lecture, giving account of his/her knowledge about relevant scientific literature and his/her research results, and describing his/her research plan for the second part of the doctoral training, and the schedule for writing the dissertation and publishing the results. Regarding language skills, a state examination or equivalent at a level not lower than intermediate is required in a foreign language accepted by the School. A lower level examination or equivalent is required in a second foreign language. One of the two languages must be English. Special rules apply to foreign students. As a third major requirement, each applicant has to fulfil the publication requirements of the Doctoral School. As a last major requirement, each candidate has to prepare and defend a doctoral thesis containing new scientific results in computer science, or high-level applications of computer science in other areas. A dominant part of the results included in the thesis has to be published before submission.

For consideration for doctoral studies in the four-year study program one must submit an application in electronic form at http://www.u-szeged.hu/dokint/felveteli/jelentkezes each year in May (spring semester) or in December (autumn semester). Along with the application, each applicant has to arrange two letters of recommendation, submitted in sealed envelopes. All these will be assessed by the Council of the School. The Council requires an entry exam of the applicant in order to obtain further information.

Students enrolled in the four-year study program are usually required to conduct course exercises up to 4 hours per week at the Institute of Informatics, at the graduate and/or the undergraduate level.

The Doctoral School usually receives up to 8-10 new fellowships per year from the State of Hungary to be given to students who are citizens of Hungary. The rate of tuition for foreign students is 4000 EUR per semester.

The director of the School is Prof. Zoltán Fülöp (Institute of Informatics). The School is governed by its Council whose current members are: Zoltán Fülöp (professor), Tibor Csendes (professor), János Csirik (professor emeritus), József Dombi (professor), Zoltán Gingl (professor), Tibor Gyimóthy (professor) and Zoltán Kató (professor). All of them are with the Institute of Informatics.